Business Group Blog

Welcome to our blog.

The Business Group Blog was created to share and discuss information about challenges and solutions to the health care benefits issues that large employers face today and tomorrow — such as controlling health care costs, reforming the health care delivery system, and engaging employees in their health and benefits — and will provide insight into national health policy issues. We hope you find this information useful and will consider subscribing to the blog and sharing any thoughts or ideas with us at blog@businessgrouphealth.org.

There are 50 million parents in today’s workforce and more dual-earner households, single parent homes and female breadwinners in 2018 than ever before.

Despite this, a recent survey from Ovia Health featured in NBGH’s recently released Parent Package found that only 65 percent of women working at companies with 1,000 or more employees feel supported in balancing their work and family lives.

Most of us will provide care for a loved one during our career. Many find the experience rewarding while simultaneously enduring physical, emotional and financial strain. Caregivers often struggle to manage their personal responsibilities and perform at work, making caregiving a corporate priority.

Today, dads are taking on more caregiving and household responsibilities than ever before. According to the Pew Research Center, fathers spend, on average, seven hours a week on child care—that’s almost triple the time they provided in 1965. And fathers, like mothers, struggle to maintain work-life harmony. As family structures evolve, top employers are adapting their policies and programs in pursuit of an agile, competitive workforce.

Most companies know that obesity impacts their bottom line by increasing medical costs and decreasing employee productivity. Yet, the problem runs much deeper—negative attitudes toward employees who struggle with weight are pervasive and cost many employers more than they think.

On this last day of National Minority Health Month, let us continue to live our commitment to eliminate disparities and to advance health equity. Health Equity exists when all people — regardless of race, gender, socio-economic status, geographic location or other societal constructs — have the same access and resources to achieve optimal health and well-being. Social, economic and environmental factors are strong contributors to health inequities. Employers can make a difference through intentional design of programs and policies to support health and well-being across diverse populations in the workplace, as well as through partnerships in community to impact areas where people live, work and play.